“Sudden and brutal”, “social massacre”, “worrying industrial decline”: political reactions to the closure of the Saupiquet factory in

“Sudden and brutal”, “social massacre”, “worrying industrial decline”: political reactions to the closure of the Saupiquet factory in
“Sudden and brutal”, “social massacre”, “worrying industrial decline”: political reactions to the closure of the Saupiquet factory in Quimper

Loïg Chesnais-Girard, president of the Region. “Today, Saupiquet is leaving and in particular Brittany, the last factory still in operation, leaving behind more than 200 employees, including temporary workers, without jobs. This decision by Bolton Food, the Italian group that owns Saupiquet, motivated by a search for short-term profitability, goes against the needs of our country and Europe in terms of food sovereignty. At a time when we must strengthen our agri-food sectors and guarantee quality industrial jobs, this departure is a worrying industrial setback.

Above all, I think of the women and men of this factory who are meeting again this evening [vendredi, NDLR] unemployed. Such a situation is deeply unfair and painful. I want to assure them that the Region will be fully mobilized to guarantee them support that meets everyone's expectations. We will be at their side to initiate successful professional retraining and ensure that all necessary measures are put in place to help the families concerned.

After the announcements from Saupiquet, Michelin and Fonderie de Bretagne, it is imperative that a collective reflection on the preservation of our industrial fabric be carried out nationally. »

Isabelle Assih, mayor of and president of Quimper Western Brittany. “The Bolton group's announcement to close the last site was sudden and brutal. This decision comes at a time when this international group is making very significant profits. It is indeed an iconic French brand which will no longer produce in France. I deplore the group's strategy, which did not take into account either the constant support of the Agglomeration for the modernization of the Quimper site, nor the expertise of these men and women who have worked for some of their entire careers within the factory. As soon as this announcement was made, with my colleagues Hervé Herry and Marc Andro, I met with employee representatives to take stock of the situation. And signify the support of the region's elected officials for the site's 152 employees.

The important thing today is the employees. These employees, a large number of them women, must be supported as best as possible to find employment nearby, in the local economic fabric. Discussions with State services, which manage the Job Protection Plan, but also with employee representatives are frequent. Today, our vigilance is focused on the PSE which must ensure quality individual support. We will continue to be present whenever necessary and whenever we can act.

QBO will thus make the Dan Ar Braz room available for the holding at the very beginning of January of an employment forum dedicated to the factory's employees. Our territory is an industrial production territory. The city constantly works to ensure that it remains so by supporting businesses and jobs. The overall dynamic of the employment area is positive and the mobilization of economic players should allow us collectively to support employees towards new employment. It is a collective mobilization that is necessary. The QBO teams and its elected officials will be around a table to achieve this. »

New Cornish Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA). “While dozens of “social” plans, that is to say layoffs, continue to fall, in Quimper, the 153 workers of the Saupiquet factory, victims of a relocation plan towards Spain and Morocco find themselves, in almost total indifference, at the door from December 20.

The multinational Bolton Food decided that it was necessary to reduce the wage bill by throwing women and men and their know-how out of work and towards a more than uncertain future despite the severance pay. The deafening silence surrounding this closure, from elected officials, but also from the trade union world and politicians, is very serious.

No call for support, resistance, unity against this social massacre even though this multinational reaps profits from the distress of those who produce and create wealth. The NPA Cornouaille provides all its support and solidarity to the workers, now without work, at the Saupiquet factory. »

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